A piece of WWE history tied to one of the company’s most celebrated matches is drawing serious money on the collectibles market. On the auction platform Goldin, a wrestling boot worn by Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) for his showdown with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania 18 is up for sale. As of this writing, the current price sits at $28,000, already well past the $25,000 mark.
The item’s appeal is obvious to longtime fans. Hogan vs. The Rock at WrestleMania 18 — billed as “Icon vs. Icon” — stands as a definitive cross-generational moment for WWE. Held in Toronto in 2002, the match became a cultural touchstone, remembered as much for its thunderous crowd reactions as for the in-ring storytelling. Any ring-worn piece tied directly to that bout carries the weight of that legacy, and bidders are pricing in the significance.
Goldin has built a reputation as a top destination for high-end sports collectibles, and pro wrestling has increasingly carved out a sizable lane within that space. Items with direct, verifiable ties to major matches tend to command the strongest bids. This boot, offered as ring-worn for a career-defining performance by one of wrestling’s most recognizable figures opposite another global star, checks every box that collectors look for when chasing cornerstone memorabilia.
While the market for wrestling collectibles has matured over the last decade, it’s moments like this that underline where demand is headed. Five-figure bids were once rare for ring-worn gear; they’re now a reality for items linked to historic WWE milestones. The current $28,000 price does not guarantee a final sale at that level — auctions can accelerate or cool off before closing — but it signals robust interest around marquee-era artifacts.
For fans, the boot represents more than just gear. WrestleMania 18 was a pivot point for WWE’s modern identity. Hogan’s return to the grand stage opposite The Rock bridged eras, introducing a new generation of viewers to the mythology of Hulkamania while underscoring The Rock’s status as a mainstream headliner. Collectors and investors view tangible relics from that kind of moment as museum-grade anchors for their collections.
The wider implication for WWE and the memorabilia ecosystem is straightforward: historically significant, event-specific items are separating themselves from the pack. Autographs and mass-produced merchandise remain popular, but ring-used pieces from definitive matches deliver scarcity, story, and prestige. That combination helps explain why a single boot tied to WrestleMania 18 commands a premium.
Several factors typically drive prices for wrestling memorabilia at this level:
- Match significance: “Icon vs. Icon” at WrestleMania is as high-profile as it gets.
- Star power: Hogan and The Rock carry crossover recognition beyond wrestling.
- Cultural resonance: The match’s atmosphere and fan response are legendary.
- Direct tie to the moment: Ring-worn gear from the specific bout is rare.
Collectors also evaluate provenance and how convincingly an item is tied to the advertised match. Auction listings generally provide the documentation and detail that buyers weigh before placing serious bids. As always, the market tends to reward pieces with clear, specific links to a headline event — exactly the scenario here with Hogan’s boot being sold as worn for WrestleMania 18.
The $28,000 figure tells a broader story about where nostalgia dollars are flowing. WWE’s late 1990s and early 2000s eras continue to be a sweet spot for fans who now have the means to pursue top-tier items. That audience isn’t just buying memories — it’s competing to own artifacts from the moments that defined their fandom. A WrestleMania-level piece associated with two of the industry’s biggest names fits that pattern perfectly.
For WWE’s place in pop culture, auctions like this reaffirm the company’s long-tail relevance. When a single item tied to a 2002 match can spark a bidding war, it underscores how the brand’s history remains active currency. That matters for everything from licensing to archival storytelling, and it helps explain why WWE and third-party platforms continue to spotlight legacy content and memorabilia opportunities.
For fans watching from the sidelines, the question is how high the price might climb. Auction dynamics can shift quickly in the final hours, and interest tends to intensify as deadlines approach. Whether the boot ultimately sells for more than the current $28,000 level or settles close to it, the number itself is a marker of how the market values ring-used gear from WWE’s most enduring moments.
Regardless of the final hammer price, the takeaway is clear. A ring-worn boot tied to Hulk Hogan’s WrestleMania 18 match against The Rock is the kind of narrative-rich artifact that continues to set the bar for wrestling memorabilia. It’s scarce, it’s iconic, and it’s instantly recognizable to fans who lived through that era — a combination that explains why the bids are already deep into five figures and could yet climb higher before the auction closes.
As of now, the boot remains live on Goldin with a current price of $28,000. We’ll be watching to see where the final number lands and what it signals for the next wave of high-profile WWE collectibles hitting the block.
